Magnolia
by DramaDelicacy
Summary: It's our tree of memories. xSasuxSakux


_Magnolia_

:

-

It had been years since I was last down here. I looked up at the sky that was partly blocked by the leaves of the tree. I let go a soft sigh and closed my eyes.

Four years had gone by and so much had happened. Itachi's death, Pein's invasion to Konoha, and…

The end of Konoha.

I sat up and looked forward at the nothingness. The wide ground that seemed to stretch forever was covered in different sizes of black patches; some bigger objects were still on the ground, waiting for nature for them to fade away.

This was Konoha now.

The tall big entrance gate was gone, the houses were all gone, even the big mountain with the Hokages faces on it was gone.

And it was all thanks to me.

"Sasuke!"

Ugh.

I turned and saw Karin ran toward me.

As much as I appreciate her useful power and how many times she saved my life not only from letting me suck her chakra when mine was near the edge, she was still annoying and… different…

_From her_.

I shook my head and her face went away just before I can completely picture her.

Karin ran toward me with a flushed face and a big smile across her face. She had something in her arms and I knew it must be food.

Juugo and Suigetsu were just a few meters away behind me; they were sitting in the spot where me and them were punished during our first training day—

I shook my head again and their image went away.

Karin sat next to me straight away and handed me all the food Suigetsu had found. I looked at it and pushed them back to her.

Foxes… how on earth could I eat those? Can't he find any decent food?

"Not hungry?" she looked at me.

I looked away from her and back at the nothingness.

"Go away Karin," I ordered. "I want to be alone."

She sighed, disappointed I knew, and I heard her move away from me.

I looked back at the Magnolia tree and stood up. It was the only one that still stood even when Konoha was gone completely. I touched the side of the tree and closed my eyes.

I leaned forward until my forehead touched the tree and sighed, feeling content for once in a long time.

My hand studied the old wood and they stopped when I touched something that was odd. I opened my eyes and found that something had been carved into the wood. I blew off the dusts and saw what it was.

_HS + US_ inside a heart with a messy scribble written beneath it _UN was here too! _

_Together forever, friendship never ends _was written just above all the scribbles.

I felt as if I had been hit by raikiri in the chest and I heaved as I fell backward to the ground. My heart thumped and ached and I felt tears welled up in my eyes. I buried my face in both of my hands and started sobbing.

_Stupid_.

Time can't be turned. All was over. Too late.

_Stupid._

_I want to see them again…_

_Please…_

_I want to…_

-

"Naruto, this way!"

I looked up, shocked, as I hear the familiar voice. I looked around the Magnolia tree and was surprised that it was green. The woods were still standing and the grasses were being caressed gently by the wind.

Karin, Juugo, and Suigetsu were nowhere in sight. It was as if nothing had happened.

And I saw her. In the middle of the field, running in her pink ninja uniform. Naruto was right behind her, both of them had wide grins and were laughing as they ran toward the tree.

She stopped when she reached the tree, heaving as she clutched her abdomen. She turned to Naruto who just arrived and who looked as if he was going to throw up, and laughed.

"That's why I told you to not eat before," she laughed.

"I didn't know you were planning to get us here," he complained between breaths. "Oh damn, I think it's coming out."

"No!" she screamed, heaving. "I swear, no way!"

"Oh no!" Naruto screamed, looking panicked.

"Naruto!" she raised her fist, ready to hit him if he threw up.

He looked at her and grinned, laughing so hard seconds later.

"I hate you," she pouted.

Naruto stopped laughing all of a sudden and he stared passed her, he seemed to look at me. He then, suddenly, walked toward me. Sakura frowned and turned at the same direction. Her frown disappeared and was replaced by a warm smile.

Can they see me?

"Hey, Teme," Naruto grinned. "Been a while, huh?"

I looked at him, shocked.

"What?"

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura smiled. I frowned as I looked at her, was I dreaming? "Hey."

"What happened?" Naruto frowned. He stopped when he was in front of me and sat himself down comfortably, followed by Sakura who sat next to me, linking her arm to mine.

"What do you mean?" I frowned. "You are all dead."

Naruto looked shocked for a second as he turned to Sakura. I turned to her and she was looking back at him, she looked sad. And so did he.

"Be happy, Sasuke-kun," Sakura smiled. She let go of my arm and kissed my forehead. Then she walked away and stood behind Naruto.

Her green eyes looked at me with love but with sadness at the same time. And for a second I thought I saw buildings and people burning in them.

"Naruto…" I looked to him. "What… is going on?"

"I don't know," Naruto sighed. "I really don't. But if what you said is true, that we are dead… then maybe… all _this_ was just fragments of our memories," he gestured to himself and her, "and a part of you that wants to see us."

"This would all go away," I nodded. I knew it, but it still hurt. I can no longer hold my cool, all those were long gone… what was left of me since Konoha was gone was emptiness.

"Sorry, Sasuke," Naruto stood up.

"_Sasuke!"_

"You're called," Naruto looked back at the direction they were coming from. Now I saw Suigetsu, Juugo, and Karin looked at me with worries. Karin had been screaming my name.

"Live your life well," Sakura smiled. She walked toward me and hugged me. "I love you."

"Hey, you're leaving me behind!" Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, Naruto, just come here," Sakura said, annoyed.

Naruto grinned and came. He hugged the two of us and I felt warm right away.

I had two of the people that love me best… and I was so stupid to let them go.

"Be happy, Sasuke," Naruto muttered. "You know you'll always be my bro no matter what."

"And you'll always be my first and last love forever," Sakura grinned.

I hugged the two of them, not wanting to let go, not wanting time to go on. But I wasn't God that had the power to do so…

I was just a stupid man that missed what he had in front of him.

That had lost everything…

"You do know that life goes on, right?" Naruto frowned as he let go. "I'm not sure you'll live your life well."

"You better," Sakura looked at me with a threatening look. "What's gone is gone. Can't change them. But you can still change the future. Even if we're not around."

She took his hand and they walked away.

"No…" I shook my head. "Don't go, please…"

"We love you," they both turned and smiled warmly. "We really do. Live your life so that we can rest in peace."

"Damn, that last sentence suck!" Naruto grumbled.

"Shut up! It's been said already!" she hit the side of his arm. "Race you back!"

She started running and he followed right behind her.

I saw them once again turn their heads toward me and waved at me.

-

"Dude, Sasuke, you okay?"

I blinked and looked up at Suigetsu who looked at me with worry all over his face.

"What happened?"

"You spaced out!" Karin screamed right next to me. "And your tears flowed forever!"

I touched my cheek and looked at my wet fingers.

"What happened?" Suigetsu frowned.

"Something," I looked at the tree. "Just… a flow of memory."

"Huh?" both Karin and Suigetsu frowned. I turned back at them and sighed.

"They'll always be with you,"

I turned my head to Juugo who, for the first time since a long time, smiled at me.

For a second, I thought I saw Naruto and Sakura smiled from the distance at me. But it must only be another fragment of the memory left behind in this tree.

I looked at the tree and smiled.

"Our bond as a team is over today," I turned to my teammates. "I don't want to hear complaints but it's over."

Karin was about to open her mouth but she closed it. Suigetsu looked at me then shrugged.

"We'll still contact each other, right?"

I nodded at him and walked away from them.

"Where are you going?" Karin screamed, panicked.

"Don't know," I answered, honestly. "Looking for a new goal in life, I guess."

I looked back at the tree once again and saw Juugo gone, Suigetsu in the distance, and Karin still hesitating but moved way already.

I wiped off the new tears that came out and walked on.

The future's waiting.

And I won't miss it this time.

"_We love you. Live your life."_

-

_Two years ago_

"Sakura-chan," Naruto walked toward the tree.

Sakura lied down on her back, looking at the evening sky.

"Sasuke's coming," he said. "And he's here to destroy us."

"I know," Sakura stretched her hands out toward the sky and played with it.

"Should we say 'hi' when we see him?" Naruto grinned.

"Stupid," Sakura hit the back of his head. She looked at the twilight sky and sighed. "It's come… I never thought it would."

"Well, I still love him though," Naruto laid down next to her and looked at the sky. "No matter what he'd done and what he would do."

"I do, too,"

"No matter what," Naruto smiled.

Sakura sighed and nodded.

"No matter what,"

-

"_We love you._"

-

Is it sad enough? ^^ Sasuke is kinda OC, sorry for that.

Reviews are appreciated please :)

iSilhouette.


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